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Sometimes stupid enough not to answer that question.

It would cost less to pull the engine, take it apart and hot tank it, have them re-hone it and put new rings and bearings in it and put it back together, probably less that $1000.

What about the crank? Shouldn't I have that turned too?

I went to the local highly recommended guy and we're up to about $2500 in machine work, and I still have a 350.

For an extra few hundred bucks I can buy a new stroker bottom.

Probably, they will polish the crank for cheap,


$2500 is crazy money, here in INDY they will disassemble hone,and build a short block with bearings and rings for $1000

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I guess that's the NYC/NJ price list....

I can probably ship it to indy and back and still be cheaper.

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If thats the case, go with a short block from someone,, you can get a 434 for $3950 here in INDY

http://www.nyesautomotive.net/SBC_408_427_434__RS.html

Here's my .02

OK so Murphy works for you a little more than me. First I agree with LD85 you should be able to get a short block done relatively cheap. Tell them its for your Nova hot rod, cause on the bottom end its JUST a 350 Chevy small block- avoid the Vette tax. The shop I go to usually will assemble the short block for a reasonable price with some kind of guarantee. Now all this focus on the motor As you have seen while relative low miles age can have an effect on the moving parts .Here I am making a huge assumption as you never stated as far as I read if the spun bearing was on the cylinder you had worked on at the shop. I am thinking it was not or you would be having them do this work because of their mistake. I did read you were doing some WOT testing - no problem with that. Now think forward or in this case rearward to the tranny whether an A4 or manual still has bearings etc.U joints? rear end? May want to think about a rebuild on it now rather than later. At some point your new found horsepower is going to find the weak link and trust me that tranny is going to be much easier to remove with the motor out than after it is replaced. I am doing this with another car right now the rear can be done later but I would give some serious thought into the tranny
Proactive maintenance is what I call it. I am peicing together some mods for my Vette but have decided to do the motor and Tranny at the same time.
On a side note I have been reading a thread about using a .001 feeler gage to set zero clearance on push rods. Seems like a good idea tighten until feeler gets tight add 3/4 turn. May want to try that and let us know how it works!
Whatever you do I am looking forward to the posts about your project.
Good Luck
Kevin
:thumbright:

Here's my take on that stuff....

I'll see when I get it apart...

I'll wait till things break before I bother replacing them.

When the tranny goes, I'll replace it. When the rear end blows, I'll replace it.

This thing has become a money pit as it is...

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Damn!! For that kind of money I can build my forged short block I want. Time to find a new machine shop.

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That's with new pistons, rings,rods, bearings, tanked, decked, and balanced.

Is that insane?

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I think it's high. I have a 4 bolt main block I am going to build all forged so I can run more boost and to completely redo the block .30 over and a whole forged bottom end for $2500. If I want to do a 383 it would be $3,000